Tourism Budget

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:08): Supplementary: does the minister stand by his claim that no other jurisdiction in Australia markets their winter tourism, given the Darwin Festival claims, 'There's no better time to visit the tropical Top End than during Darwin Festival each August,' going on to say, 'known elsewhere in Australia simply as "winter'''?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (15:08): My understanding is the markets that we are looking at, which is the east coast—Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane—don't have a winter marketing campaign. That is the advice I was given by the Tourism Commission.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: The constant people interjecting—that was the advice I was given. I will get the Tourism Commission to check that, but it is my understanding that in the marketplace we are the state tourism office that is actually doing the work of marketing in—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: You don't have an agency to check anymore. Your agency has been ripped apart. You have no-one to give you advice, no senior officers, they have all been sacked; they are all gone.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hunter!

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I would hope that your party sees fit to sack you if you don't get preselection.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Ridgway, that's not helping me either.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: The advertising campaign, which is underway now, is getting very good results and we are looking forward to having more people visit our regions during the winter.